Pages

Sunday, August 21, 2011

I'm Hungry

I woke up late today. 11:30 to be exact. The storm had set me off into a deep slumber and reset my internal clock. When I woke up confused and even a little alarmed it may be Monday, my mind was simply just blinking 12:00.

The girls were (shocker) playing nicely in Layla's room. They have taken a new interest in their Barbie dolls that we had hauled to the basement months ago. Last night they decided they wanted to bring them upstairs and play. I look at the tornado of little hooker shoes and dresses strewn about the floor and I ignore my first impulse to comment. Who knows how long they have been up. The thing about having children that are 7 and 8 is that they are for the most part self sufficient. They can actually make their own breakfast (cereal or poptarts). We have learned from actual error to be careful when putting things in a microwave or toaster. Oatmeal cooked for 10 minutes instead of 1 minute..or an plastic bag not moved off the toaster has caused them to be extremely careful when we make things on our own. I could have said a million times..be careful what numbers you enter on the microwave or make sure there is nothing near the toaster..but I already know they don't hear a word I say that doesn't involve ice cream or going to see grandparents.

I am eating my toaster strudel. I forget if I am dieting at the moment..but probably will be tomorrow when I attempt to wear my work pants. I am debating on whether or not to interrupt their perfect playtime for things like the bath the desperately need to take or the chores they have ignored all weekend. Why bother a good thing. I could sit here at my kitchen table soaking in the beauty of a Sunday morning (afternoon) for hours. As I take the last few bites of my yummy breakfast treat, Olivia strolls in the kitchen.

"Whats for lunch?" She asks "I am starving"

Questions involving food, the upcoming food situation, the snack situation and all things that must plague Olivia's little mind drive me absolutely crazy. The way she talks one would think that I never feed my children. Yesterday, in front of my neighborhood watch team (the four retirees that sit in their driveways in lawn chairs all day and night) I scolded Olivia for her constant hunger.

Me: "IF you ask about food one more time, you will never eat again/"
Olivia: "But Mommy" Que head drop, giant tears and pouty face.

Food time in the Taylor house goes like this...Breakfast (fend for ourselves). After breakfast snack. then lunch..then an hour later hunger ensues...so another snack. Then dinner.....then bed time snack. Dinner is usually either gobbled up in seconds (BBQ chicken and corn on the cob) or picked apart piece by piece as to examine its exact contents. (veggie stir fry). It never fails after the dinner dishes are barely cleaned Olivia is hungry. I have had her wash her dish off, put it in the dishwasher then ask for a snack.

Olivia's metabolism functions as such. I'm starving. So I make her food. She takes three or four bites then says she is full. Then of course minutes later she is asking for a snack. Its not like I am opposed to snacking. I am pretty sure any diet will tell you that five to six small snack like meals is way better than three main meals. And I keep plenty of somewhat healthy snacks around...and the kids love stuff like yogurt, carrots, and fruit. But the thing that gets me is how much Olivia wants to have a snack. Everything we do involves when the snack will occur. She must know the exact time in which the snack will take place or she goes into a hunger panic. The worst is when we are at a friend's house. She will sneak off to the friend and ask for food.

"What do you have to eat here? " she will ask

To which I am plagued with morbid embarrassment. The desperation of her hunger makes me look like I never feed her. (Maybe that is why she is so small).

Yesterday during the meltdown over food in front of our neighbors, i tried to have the usual conversation with her

Me: do you think I wont remember to feed you?
Olivia: No
Me: Have I ever forgotten to feed you?
Olivia: (thinking) no
Me: Then why do you always ask me about food.
Olivia: I am just hungry
Me: But we just ate. Maybe you could go finish your lunch
Olivia; But I am not hungry for spaghetti
Me: What are you hungry for?
Olivia: Well what is there?
Me: Spaghetti
Olivia: Mommy!
Me: Carrots, fruit, I don't know what do you want?
Olivia: Ice cream

1 comment:

Find Me Here

I am a busy mother of four who loves to write. The Pursuit is exactly that, a journey. It is failure, self discovery, humor and all the wonderful things that make me human. I can't promise perfection but I hope you will join me on this adventure.